I like the direction the rage is going this year. Artists are experimenting more and more with beat choices and vocal inflections. prettifun is very interesting as his switch between a deeper normal register to his picked up lighter register offers a really cool contrast between voices in songs. A couple of songs could have been left off for quality control, but this is a solid bunch of tracks.
Fav Tracks: My Name, Last Wish, Unfazed
Least Fav: Hi-Fi 2026

Every project Yeat chooses to release, I feel like he's flipping a coin to determine if he's trying something new or going in a generic lane. Luckily, he flipped on the former for this EP. This crop of tracks is unique in his catalogue and serves as a good sandbox to experiment with different sounds before his new album. concise and punchy.
Fav Tracks: COMË N GO, [ADL IS COMING], FLY NITË
Least Fav: 2TONE

Homixide, at their best, are the most energetic and innovative members of the opium label. Their beat selection fits their style and aesthetic perfectly. Their demise comes at the hands of tracklisting and song selection. I get that we are in the streaming era, but half of the songs on this do not need to be there.
Fav Tracks: PC5, REDRAG, FRANK MATTHEWS
Least Fav: PB&J

The album is very fun and a good homage to early ATL trap music. That doesn't mean it's without flaws. While most of the beats are fun and synthy, some of the guest performances leave something to be desired. It's also bloated, spanning 24 tracks and a runtime of over 75 minutes. I think its highs are a fun homage to the genre, though.
Fav Tracks: Butterflies, Slide, Birthday
Least Fav: Partying & Drinking

This album is unfortunately really forgettable for me. No real highlights despite being a pleasant listen. Don't have many words for it.
Fav Track: Botched Robberies
Least Fav: All Ways Always

So damn long, I had to put this in the background or I would've never gotten through it. I don't even know what to say, it's just 30 lazy trap songs, which I feel no need to come back to.
Fav Tracks: Fire Your Manager, Kickboxer
Least Fav: XXX

I was worried for this project as Freddie was on a more generic route with his last projects, and the alchemist beats were missing that charm that they had in the early 2020s, but man, was I wrong. Freddie and Alchemist lock in every time they get together, and this was no different. The sample chops are on point on every track, and Freddie flows his ass off throughout the project. a very strong project and their best in a while for both artists.
Fav Tracks: I Still Love H.E.R., Lavish Habits, ... read more

Man, Quadeca just keeps adding great music to his growing discography. The variation in genre and soundscape on this is mind-boggling, and somehow, they all work so well. From melancholic ballads to experimental hip hop to more ambient tracks, this album has it all. I love quadecas vocals too. He's got such a soft voice that makes his melodies scratch a specific itch in my brain.
Fav Tracks: GODSTAINED, MONDAY, FORGONE
Least Fav: NO QUESTIONS ASKED

Am I crazy for saying this is better than Chromakopia? Every song on here is super groovy and just a fun time. Tyler takes a step back on some tracks and really lets the production shine. Tyler has a super no-strings-attached demeanour on this, and it all feels like a victory lap following his successful tour and Chromakopia.
Fav Tracks: Ring Ring Ring, Don't You Worry Baby, I'll Take Care of You
Least Fav: Mommanem

UK hip hop is so on right now. The innovation that these guys bring is so refreshing. The eclectic beats, which incorporate elements from many different subgenres, meshed with Jim's melodic voice, are really fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how he progresses with his sound.
Fav Tracks: stick, new david bowie, father
Least Fav: context

Like I said for Slick Rick, unc still got it. Nas is doing this MCU multiverse with all of the '90s veterans, and so far, it's working very well. The beat selection has been pretty good, which is usually the downside with veterans and modern releases. Raekwon shows that he still has it while delivering a fun album.
Fav Tracks: Pomogranite, Wild Corsicans, The Omerta
Least Fav: 1 Life

It seems like 2025 is the year where the rage genre starts to shape up and experiment. Che delivers hard-hitting bangers pretty consistently throughout its 48-minute runtime. His vocals are absolutely out of this world, and the autotune is ridiculous. It all blends together to bring the best thing Rage has to offer since Whole Lotta Red in 2020.
Fav Tracks: SLAM PUNK, DIOR LEOPARD, BA$$
Least Fav: DOE DEER

This new Alex G album is very safe, but it plays to its strengths well. It knows what it is, and it doesn't try to be something it's not. The listening experience is comforting but not very rewarding. just a solid 40 minutes of indie folk.
Fav Tracks: June Guitar, Real Thing, Afterlife
Least Fav: Far and Wide

It's a Benny the Butcher mixtape in the year 2025. It's nothing special, but it's not bad. If I want to listen to Benny, this is not what I'm going to return to, though.
Fav Tracks: Jasmines, In The Wall
Least Fav: Hood On Fire

A Travis Scott label album narrated by BunB, what could go wrong? It seems like Travis got the worst qualities of each of the members and put out that material (except Sofaygo, for some reason, he was pretty good on this). This doesn't even feel like a label album; there are more features than there are Cactus Jack tracks. It really just feels like Travis throwaways. There are the occasional good tracks, but man...
Fav Tracks: CHAMPAIN & VACAY, DUMBO, MM3
Least Fav: VELOUR

Giveon has such a beautiful voice, and he plays to its strength on this album. It's almost 40 minutes of some of the smoothest R&B albums of the modern era. I think the only downside is that he's a bit of a one-trick pony in terms of his songwriting and vocal range. The album can get a bit uniform, but luckily, it isn't too long, so it mitigates a bit of that.
Fav Tracks: RATHER BE, NUMB, BLEEDING
Least Fav: GOOD BAD UGLY

Boldy James and Nicholas Craven are always a good duo, and this record is not an exception. Boldy always gets in a more meaningful mood whenever he's on Craven's beats. The record doesn't overstay its welcome with its 31-minute length, and the record is a pleasant surprise in Boldy's 2025 run.
Fav Tracks: Spider Webbing Windshields, The Whole Shabang, Meal Prepping
Least Fav: Marrero

Justin Bieber's comeback album starts off pretty good, actually, but immediately falls off and never pulls back up. This album is very uninspired and boring. The vocal performances often leave something to be desired, and the druski interludes are obnoxious and unnecessary.
Fav Tracks: ALL I CAN TAKE, DAISES, YUKON
Least Fav: SWEET SPOT

I feel like this album is a bit of a boring roller coaster while still being good. Like his raps are great on most of the tracks, the choruses are pretty catchy and some beats. Yet, there are no tracks that stand out as spectacular to me. still a solid listen.
Fav Tracks: woke up knowing everything (opening theme), my co-worker Clark Kent's secret black box, unlimited skull voices
Least Fav: almost broke my nucleus accumbens

This will probably go down as one of the best comeback albums ever. The raps are some of the best of their respective careers. Pharell killed it on production as per usual. There is absolutely no filler, and every song fills its purpose. The features are all amazing and kill it. from emotional tributes to hard bangers, Clipse do it all.
Fav Tracks: The Birds Don't Sing, So Be It, F.I.C.O.
Least Fav: By the Grace of God